HIV surveillance in homosexual men is poor in most countries, as this risk group is difficult to sample.

The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of reaching homosexual men for national HIV surveillance using gay community media.

In 1989, a questionnaire on general gay issues, with a section on AIDS, was included in a widely sold gay magazine in the Netherlands.

Among 17,700 sold copies, 1134 responses were obtained from males (6%). Of these, 669 men (59%) gave their address, of which in turn 84% responded to a questionnaire on risk behaviour in 1990.

In 1991/1992, the 669 men were asked to participate in an HIV serosurvey, in which eventually 308 participated with a blood test (46%) and 147 without (total 68%). Participation in the serosurvey with blood test was associated with reporting multiple partners in 1989.